Field shaping device



May 26, 1959 Filed Sept. 4, 1957 S. G. .CASTIGLIANO FIELD SHAPING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 1

INVENTOR. S. GORDON CASTIGLIANO 'TTORNEYS May 26, 1959 s. G. CASTIGLIANO FIELD SHAPING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 4, 1957 i-ll iiii uluI-I-I -I-i..

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INVENTOR. S. GORDON CASTIGLIANO "$5M A ll III-zlilllll I'll TTORNEYS S. G. CASTIGLIANO FIELD SHAPING DEVICE May 26, 1 959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sgpt. 4, 1957 mwoE t JM JT 1111 S. GORDON CASTIGLIANO ATTORNEYS United States Patent FIELD SHAPING DEVICE Sylvio Gordon Castigliano, Bryn Mawr, Pa.

Application September 4, 1957, Serial No. 681,956

5 Claims. (Cl. 250-105) My invention relates to a field shaping device for the X-ray treatment of persons afflicted with malignancies, and, more particularly related to an overlay platform to shield and define a target area for a person lying therebelow whereby the divergent beam from a supervoltage X-ray machine or cobalt bomb above may be restricted to a particular area of a persons body and thereafter the beam may be restricted to a different area of a second persons body rapidly and efiiciently.

Present day supervoltage X-ray equipment (over 1,000,000 volts) operates at very short wave length in order to insure maximum penetration to the afilicted area of the body in a very short period of time. As a result therefore it is possible to treat a great number of persons by subjecting these patients to X-rays at very rapid intervals. The general practice is to fix the very bulky X-ray equipment at a point close to the ceiling of a treatment room and because the machine utilizes supervoltage in the neighborhood of 1 or more megavolts (1,000,000 or more) it becomes necessary in shaping fields to shield the patient with lead blocks approximately one inch thick. Obviously it is impossible to drape patients with lead impregnated rubber as is done with conventional X-ray therapy machines to shield the patient because of the high penetrability of the rays. These heavy lead blocks must either be suspended in the treatment beam or placed on a low specific gravity platform intermediate between the irradiation source and the patient.

The general procedure for bombarding the patient with X-rays is to Wheel the patient into the room upon a bed or table having rollers at a position generally centrally located in the room at a position below the X-ray equipment. Although the beam can be directed to some extent to concentrate the intensity to a general area of the patients body, it is of maximum desirability to shape this beam upon a well defined area of the body to avoid striking undesired areas of the body. Furthermore, the conventional beam can be shaped only in squares or rectangles. The device herein described allows for any shaped field so as to make for complete. adaptability to the tumor under treatment. This was previously accomplished by setting and holding in space a particular size lead block shield above the body.

However, since difierent shaped fields were required for successive patients with different types of lesions in different and at various locations, the efiiciency of the machine itself was lost since a great deal of time was wasted in setting up the target area for each individual patient.

It, therefore, is an object of my invention to provide a field shaping device for short wave length radiation easily and quickly be placed to delineate a field already marked on a patient.

Another object of my invention is to provide a field shaping device for X-ray or cobalt bomb radiation wherein an overlay shield may be mounted upon the treatment table with provisions therein to adjustably define a target area for a patient lying therebelow.

Another object of my invention is to provide a field shaping device for X-ray or cobalt radiation wherein the X-ray beam may be directed at a well defined narrow portion of a patients body at any area thereof by simply shifting a slidable shield.

Another object of my invention is to provide a field shaping device for X-ray radiation wherein the beam may be varied in its periphery simply by raising or lowering an overlay above the table upon which the patient is lying in conjunction with the use of lead overlay blocks.

Another object of my invention is to provide a field shaping device for X-ray treatment of patients whereupon a single table a large number of persons may be treated in succession upon their respective afiiicted areas of their bodies. if.

Other objectsof my invention are to pi bvide an improved device of the character described, that is easily and economically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which is highly efficient in operation.

The foregoing objects are achieved by the provisions of a rectangular masking shield having a central aperture therein, the aperture being somewhat longer and wider than extraordinarily large patient, a rail peripherally secured within the aperture, a plurality of glass plates slidable within the aperture upon the peripheral rail, the glass plates being adapted to have marked thereon a target area for defining the zone upon the patients body upon which X-ray radiation is to impinge, the plates being further adapted to hold a plurality of lead plugs to prevent the striking of stray X-ray beams upon undesired zones, a sprocket rotatably supported adjacent each corner of the masking shield, a chain in peripheral engagement with each of the sprockets, a worm screw mounted upon each sprocket downwardly extending therefrom into a pair of telescoping legs, one of each pair of telescoping members being secured to the masking shield and the other of the tubular members of each pair being in threaded engagement with a respective worm screw, the legs being adapted to be rolled upon a platform supporting a patient whereby the masking shield may be raised and lowered efliciently to define the zone of X-ray radiation through a target area marked upon the glass plates.

With the above and related objects in view, my invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a field shaping device for X-ray radiation embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary end view, and partly in section, showing the manner in which the field shaping device is secured to a platform or stretcher carrying a patient.

P Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4--4 of Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, I show an X-ray radiation field shaping device comprising a masking shield, generally designated as A, having a plurality of adjustable legs, generally designated as B, which aesaava 3 are adapted to be mounted upon a platform, generally designated as C, carrying a patient D.

The masking shield A comprises a pair of side frame members 12 and 14 having secured thereto at adjacent ends, end frame members 16 and 18. Each of the side and end frame members are of a hollow rectangular cross section wherein the adjacent abutting ends are mitered at 19 to provide a continuous peripheral channel. The interior of the masking shield A has an internal sheet metal rail 20 secured thereto and defining an interior rectangular aperture 21. A pair of glass plates 22 and 24 are slideably supported upon the peripheral rail and are adapted to slide longitudinally thereon to cover various portions of the aperture 21 as desired.

Each of the legs B comprises an exterior tubular member 26 in which is slideably supported an interior tubular member 28 whereby the exterior and interior tubular members may telescope with respect to one another. A flanged fitting 3G is secured to the upper portion of each of said exterior tubular members and each leg B is sccured to the bottom of the masking shield A at a corner thereof by a plurality of screws 32 passing through holes in the flange of each of the fittings and extending into tapped holes in the masking shield. A bushing 34 is mounted within the upper portions of each of the interior tubular menibers 28 and each of the bushings has an internal longitudinal thread which intermeshes with a worm screw 36. The upper end of each worm screw 36 terminates in a shaft 38 which is rotatably supported within an upper bearing 46 and a lower bearing 42 within the masking shield A. A sprocket 44 is secured upon each of the shafts 38 and a chain 46 peripherally engages the sprockets 44 at each corner of the masking shield A and passes through the channel defined by the end and side frame members. A shaft 38A projects through the masking shield A at one corner thereof and a crank 48 is secured upon the said protruding shaft.

As is to be observed, rotating the crank 48 will cause simultaneous rotation of each of the sprockets 44 through the chain 46 thereby rotating each of the worm screws 36 within the threaded bushings 34 in each of the respective interior tubular members 28. Since each of the exterior tubular members 26 are afiixed to the frame, each of the internal tubular members 28 will telescope simultaneously with respect to the respective exterior tubular members 26 causing the raising and lowering of the masking shield A with respect to the platform C.

Transverse members 50 and 52 are secured to the bottom portion of the legs B in a plane parallel to the end members 16 and 18 respectively, see Fig. 3. Each trans verse member is of rectangular hollow cross section and is secured adjacent the ends to the respective interior tubular member 23 by a machine screw 54 and washer 56. The screw 54 passes through a hole in the upper part of the transverse member and is threaded into a tapped bushing 58 pressed into the bottom portion of the interior tubular member 28. A roller 6% is rotatably supported upon a shaft 62 mounted upon the side walls of the transverse members adjacent each end. Each of the rollers 60 extends below the bottom of the transverse members through a clearance therein and each roller has a square peripheral notch 64 therein for engaging a complementary rail 66 on the platform C whereby the entire field shaping device may be rolled laterally on the platform C and be guided accordingly. The center portion of each of the transverse members 50 and 52 has a plug insert 68 as shown in Fig. 4. A C-clamp E secures the field shaping device in position upon the platform C. The C-clamp E comprises a bracket 7% having a thumb screw 72. threadedly engaged through one leg thereof, the pin portion of the thumb screw engaging a hole in the insert 68 and the other leg of the bracket engaging the bottom of the platform C.

The platform C has a locking member F secured thereto to prevent lateral motion of the field shaping device upon ill) the rollers 60. The locking member F comprises a lever 74 pivotally secured upon a bolt 76 supported within a bearing 78 at the bottom of the platform. The lever 74 moves rotatably within a U-shaped slot 80 in the platform to provide clearance for the locking member as it swings from the locking position shown in dotted line in Fig. 3 to the locking position shown in solid line therein. When the locking member F is in vertical position (dotted lines) the end of the lever 74 engages the internal portion of the transverse members and 52 thereby preventing the field shaping device from shifting laterally upon the rollers 60. A finger grip 82 is mounted upon the outboard end of each of the four levers 74 to facilitate the rotational motion of the locking member F since the frictional engagement of the lever upon the bearing 78 is great by virtue of the taut securement of the bolt 76.

As is apparent from the foregoing description my invention operates as follows. A patient D is wheeled into position upon the platform C below the X-ray machine (not shown). The field shaping device is rolled on the platform over the guide rails 66 and locked into position by means of locking members F and the C- clamps E. The masking shield A is elevated or lowered into the desired vertical position by rotation of the crank 48 until the exterior tubular members 26 are in the desired telescoping relationship with their respective interior tubular members 28. The height of each of the legs B is adjusted simultaneously through the peripheral chain 46 which engages each of the sprockets 44 thereby causing simultaneous rotation of the Worm screws 36 within each of the legs B. A target area is marked upon one or both of the glass plates 22 and 24 to define the zone of the persons body which the X-rays are to impinge. It is to be observed that the glass plates may move longitudinally upon the peripheral rail 20 to intrude upon the aperture 21. A plurality of lead blocks may be placed upon the glass plates about the lines defined by the target area on the glass plates to accurately confine the radiation within a definite area upon the body of the person D lying below. It is to be observed that since glass is not a dense material, the X-rays may either be directed through the glass or through the portion of the aperture 21 not covered by the glass plates. Thus, the target area may be defined by the peripheral edges of the glass plates or directly therethrough.

As soon as the treatment is concluded upon one patient who, for example, may have had his chest area treated, a second patient may be wheeled in immediately below the masking shield and rapid adjustments may be made to define the force of treatment upon, for example, the

latters neck. A new target area is defined upon the glass plates rapidly and the zone of treatment shielded by raising or lowering the entire masking device upon the legs B, and thereafter shifting the glass plates with lead blocks defining the target area.

Although my invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may he variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim as my invention:

1. An X-ray radiation field shaping device for defining a Zone of X-ray or cobalt radiation upon a persons body comprising a horizontal rectangular masking shield having a central rectangular aperture therein, a plurality of glass plates longitudinally slidable Within the aperture, a plurality of legs downwardly extending from said masking shield and a plurality of rollers secured to the lower portion of each of said legs, each of said legs comprising a pair of tubular telescoping members, a worm screw in threaded engagement with one of said tubular members in each of said legs, a sprocket secured to the upper portion of each of said worm screws, and a peripheral chain in engagement with each of said sprockets whereby rotation of one of said sprockets will simultaneously vary the height of each of said legs whereby said masking shield may be vertically adjusted over the persons body.

2. The field shaping device of claim 1 wherein each of said rollers have a peripheral slot therein adapted to engage complementary rails on a platform therebelow.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein locking means on said platform secure said field shaping device upon said platform.

4. An X-ray radiation field shaping device comprising a rectangular masking shield having a central aperture therein, a rail peripherally secured within the aperture, a plurality of glass plates slidable within the aperture upon said peripheral rail, a sprocket rotatably supported adjacent each corner of said masking shield, a worm screw secured within each sprocket and downwardly extending therefrom, an interior tubular member in threaded engagement with the respective work screws, an exterior tubular member in telescoping engagement with the respective interior member, the upper portion of each of said exterior tubular members being secured to the lower portion of said masking shield adjacent the respective corners thereof and a chain in peripheral engagement with each of said sprockets whereby rotation of one of said sprockets will simultaneously vary the height of the telescoping disposition of each pair of tubular members to enable said masking shield to be elevated above a patient lying therebelow.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said masking shield comprises a pair of rectangular hollow side members, and a pair of rectangular hollow end members, each of said members being mitered at the ends thereof and adjacent ends being secured in abutting relationship to define a channel for said chain.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,623,567 Wappler et al. Apr. 5, 1927 1,623,575 Campbell Apr. 5, 1927 1,709,626 McGunnigle Apr. 16, 1929 2,181,620 Haupt Nov. 28, 1939 2,295,975 Storm Sept. 15, 1942 2,474,421 Hollstein June 28, 1949 2,492,031 Blatz et al. Dec. 20, 1949 2,836,729 Snarr et al. May 27, 1958 

